Thursday, November 25, 2010

Sometimes in life, things happen too fast. We barely solve one problem when two new problems surface. We're feeling great in the morning, but we're submerged in misery by nightfall.

Every day we face interruptions, delays, changes, and challenges. We face personality conflicts and disappointments. Often when we're feeling overwhelmed, we can't see the lessons in these experiences.

One simple concept can get us through the most stressful of times. It's called gratitude. We learn to say thank you for these problems and feelings. Thank you for the way things are. I don't like this experience, but thank you anyway.

Force gratitude until it becomes habitual. Gratitude helps us stop trying to control outcomes. It is the key that unlocks positive energy in our life. It is the alchemy that turns problems into blessings, and the unexpected into gifts.

Today, I will be grateful. I will start the process of turning today's pain into tomorrow's joy.

"Nobody ever gave me a helping hand," a young alcoholic complained, having handed in prison. "My life has been one bad break after another." While this person indeed had bad breaks, it's doubtful that he'd never been given a helping hand by somebody. If we have no gratitude, it's likely taht we don't ever recognize a helping hand when it is extended. We may have believed any assistance we took was our right, even resenting our benefactors.

The remedy for such immature thinking is a conscious effort to vultivate gratitude. IF we're not aware of feeling it, we can at least act as if we have it. Thank people for any favor, no matter how small. Express appreciation for the wonderful people around you. Give people praise at every opportunity. This will help start a current of gratitude that can be amplified in time. You'll come to recognize many helping hands.

Action for the Day: Today I'll be grateful and appreciative of everything in my life. I'll let gratitude build up in my life until I can feel it and others can sense that I have it.

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One Day At A Time

GratitudeI am very grateful that my Higher Power has given mea second chance to live a worthwhile life.Through AA, I have been restored to sanity.The promises are being fulfilled in my life.I am grateful to be free from the slavery of alcohol.I am grateful for peace of mind and the opportunity to grow. . .I need to put my gratitude into action today. - Daily Reflections, p. 154

Thought to Ponder . . .I am grateful for this minute. My eternity may be in it.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .H J F =Happy, Joyous, Free.

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Daily Motivation

Celebrate abundance

Good fortune is measured not merely by what you have. Life's true fortune arises from what you have the opportunity to become, to create, to give and to experience.

Celebrate life's limitless abundance by making a positive, meaningful difference in your world. Feast upon life's delicious richness by allowing genuine, unrestrained joy and thankfulness to flow out from you.

Celebrate life's abundance by doing something new and unique and beautiful and loving with it all. Reach within, feel the miraculous reality of who you truly are, and delight in giving the best of yourself to life.

Shine the bright light of joy and thankfulness on all that is around you. Even the biggest problems are no match for the positive possibilities that fill your life.

Feel how good it feels when your joy spreads to others. Live the abundance of bringing your positive, meaningful purpose to life in each moment.

Let go of the doubts, let go of the fears, let go of the inhibitions and feel how good it feels to be authentically and fully alive. Celebrate the priceless abundance that is your life.

In the BLGTQI community we focus a lot on our outer appearance. How’s my hair? How do I look in this outfit? Does my make-up look good? I’m I too thin, or too fat? We can spend hours at the gym working out without any hesitation. But when it comes to working on our inner being, our soul, we tend to avoid it like the black plague. Many of us don’t even know where to begin.

My hope is that this post will help you figure out how to begin your “Work-In” program. Yes, just like a workout program at the gym.